Address of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Rachid Talbi El Alami, at the 28th Session of APF’s African Regional Assembly

Honorable colleagues,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen, each in their name and quality,

I would like, first of all, to welcome you, in my name and on behalf of all its members, at the seat of the House of Representatives. The Moroccan Parliament is honored and proud to host this African Regional Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, which I am convinced will be a good opportunity to deepen the debate on the issues of common interest inscribed on our agenda.

Our Assembly has the merit of bringing together parliamentarians of the French-speaking space and offering them a space for exchange on what unites them and to bring their points of view closer together on what is likely to drive them apart.

Since 1967, this authentic recipe has allowed us to be the voices for the right to difference, peaceful coexistence, solidarity, and human rights in their broadest sense, based on a common linguistic reference. In short, it is a way of seeing that each of us, while tending towards universality, can utilize their own historical experience and peculiarity.

Today, more than ever before, we are compelled to show solidarity, given the context in which this session is being held, which is marked by a health, economic, and climate crisis that is spreading to the four corners of the planet. The specter of this crisis threatens all humanity, especially its most vulnerable fringe, a large part of which is in Africa.

In this difficult context, old and new conflicts continue to arise in our continent. The common appropriation of democratic ideals and principles by African countries - a fundamental trend that our determination seemed to make irreversible - has not prevented the resurgence in Africa of uprisings and attempts to seize power through violence.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It would be illusory to speak of stability and development if the African environment is not free of the many pressing challenges that characterize it, whether it be the threat of terrorism and violent extremism, the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of governments, or the various impacts of global warming.

In the face of these challenges, it is necessary to remain committed to the APF's core values of democracy, respect for the rule of law, gender equality, and human rights, and to demonstrate a more concrete, determined, and active commitment to inter-African cooperation.

In this regard, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represents an effective tool for making the most of our continent's potential. Indeed, its effective implementation will lead to increased intra-African trade and spur robust growth that will promote youth employment and women's empowerment. A functioning AfCFTA means greater economic competitiveness and trade dynamism and stronger resilience of our young continent to the present and future vagaries of the global scene.

Thus, AfCFTA stakeholders must work together to continue and complete its operationalization. This includes finalizing issues related to tariff liberalization, trade in services and the provision of necessary infrastructure.

Similarly, there is no doubt that equality between women and men is an engine of development and an essential condition for the establishment of peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies.

Therefore, it is essential to guarantee women and girls access to education and to ensure equal opportunities in access to employment and to decision-making positions at all levels.

Aware of the strong link between gender equality and development, the Kingdom of Morocco, in accordance with the will of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, has placed parity and the representation of women in decision-making positions at the top of the priorities of its major reforms.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Our emergencies are also ecological. It is true that Africa is the continent that emits the least amount of greenhouse gases in the world, yet its socio-economic development is seriously threatened by the climate crisis.

Our continent is experiencing a continuous rise in temperatures, accelerated sea level rise, floods, droughts, food and water insecurity, scarcity of natural resources, and displacement of populations.

The impacts of climate change in Africa remind us of the urgency of participating in the titanic fight against global warming and the implementation of responsible and sustainable strategies to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For its part, the Kingdom of Morocco, which hosted the COP 22, continues its unwavering commitment to environmental protection. In this respect, very ambitious targets have been set and significant progress has been made in terms of developing renewable energies.

Moreover, as one of the most vulnerable to climate change, our continent has immense prospects to realize its full potential in renewable energy.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me conclude by reiterating that it is more necessary than ever to act as a united bloc that speaks with one voice and is able to carry weight on the international scene. Our unity as parliamentarians in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie and as Africans will enable us to effectively advocate for Africa, preach global solidarity against narrow nationalism, and end the exclusion of certain peoples or regions from the benefits of progress.

We must remain optimistic and try to see this multidimensional crisis as an opportunity to give new meaning to multilateralism and international solidarity, principles that are at the heart of the Francophonie's action.

Let us dare to believe it. In a world that is becoming irreducibly uniform, the answer to multiple global challenges could emerge from our way of seeing things.

On this note of hope, I would like to welcome you once again and wish you a pleasant stay in the Kingdom of Morocco.

Thank you for your keen listening.”